Timo boll is he getting worse?

[Robbenummer1]

In the past few years Timo Boll has been 2nd of the world and now he is positioned at 6. What is going on, it's just not fair with China!!!!

 

[PlasmaLight]

he doesnt plays the ittf pro tours, cause he is focusing on the olympics.

 

[Anders]

He has to focus on the olympics yes, but is it really that smart to not face all the best players?
If he played the world tour, he could have met the olympic players more often and get used to them.. That is why Jörgen Persson is playing so many competitions this year in front of London 2012

 

[Vega]

The problem is that Boll can't do his usual training program and furthermore play the ProTour tournaments. Unfortunately his body is so prone to injuries that he has to focus on more training for the Olympics OR play more tournaments but he can't do both without the risk of falling back to one of his old injuries and risk the olympic games at all...

 

[Dan]

The problem is that Boll can't do his usual training program and furthermore play the ProTour tournaments. Unfortunately his body is so prone to injuries that he has to focus on more training for the Olympics OR play more tournaments but he can't do both without the risk of falling back to one of his old injuries and risk the olympic games at all...

Yeah I agree Vega. Having a similar injury to Boll I know that training can be a lot easier than competition. If Boll was to play many of these World Tours he will be at his maximum and injuries are much more likely to occur. I read an interview somewhere saying that Boll is solely preparing for the Olympics and avoiding all injuries at cost. I think players like Michael Maze are doing the same thing.

 

[sxTT]

boll still plays good TT but he has injuries thats why he didnt play much games, hence his ranking went down

 

[Michal_Z]

I understand, that Timo is trying to avoid injures and I agree with this, its good decision.
BUT!
The bad decision is to have Rosskopf as the headcoach for Timo. No offense, but .. I think - the last match Boll vs. Zhang - it was JUST about coaches.
Boll´s skill equals Zhang´s. You could see it on that match. Timo had all that Zhang had.. but .. Liu Guoliang.
With better tactics it would be different.
I currently suggested to Timo to ask Waldner to do his match coaching. Who knows, maybe Waldner wouldnt refuse it..
I dont like Waldner at all, but I respect his thinking, he definitely would be better help, much better that Rossi and also LGL.
Remember - Waldner lost matches to LGL.. but then he found out how to beat him. After this - LGL was NOT ABLE to bring anything different to beat him back.
I think that is chance for Timo to win Olympics. He does have skills to do that, when no Xu Xin and no Ma Long is there.
He can do it.. with right tactics..

 

[Anders]

Yeah I agree Vega. Having a similar injury to Boll I know that training can be a lot easier than competition. If Boll was to play many of these World Tours he will be at his maximum and injuries are much more likely to occur. I read an interview somewhere saying that Boll is solely preparing for the Olympics and avoiding all injuries at cost. I think players like Michael Maze are doing the same thing.

You are right Dan, Maze is doing the same thing.. Only playing for his club and invitational tournaments sometimes. This might leave Boll and Maze with a disadvantage in the Olympics, since they are both lacking fresh match experience on this high level. Maybe a little more for Maze since he didn't play the WTTTC.

 

[Anders]

I understand, that Timo is trying to avoid injures and I agree with this, its good decision.
BUT!
The bad decision is to have Rosskopf as the headcoach for Timo. No offense, but .. I think - the last match Boll vs. Zhang - it was JUST about coaches.
Boll´s skill equals Zhang´s. You could see it on that match. Timo had all that Zhang had.. but .. Liu Guoliang.
With better tactics it would be different.
I currently suggested to Timo to ask Waldner to do his match coaching. Who knows, maybe Waldner wouldnt refuse it..
I dont like Waldner at all, but I respect his thinking, he definitely would be better help, much better that Rossi and also LGL.
Remember - Waldner lost matches to LGL.. but then he found out how to beat him. After this - LGL was NOT ABLE to bring anything different to beat him back.
I think that is chance for Timo to win Olympics. He does have skills to do that, when no Xu Xin and no Ma Long is there.
He can do it.. with right tactics..

Rosskopf were also a good player, and won a medal at the Olympics.. Waldner is still playing, and he plays in a very strange way nowadays with smartness and all that. Waldner knows how to beat the Chinese HIS way, and Boll does not play like Waldner. I think Rosskopfs playing style when he was active fits Boll more, so that is why he is his coach now. If Boll felt he had a bad coach, he would change him straight away.

May I ask, why don't you like Waldner?

 

[Michal_Z]

Waldner knows how to beat the Chinese HIS way, and Boll does not play like Waldner.

I disagree. I dont think its about playing style. Its about creating a way, no matter what style you play. Waldner is way too good thinker.
If you put it this way - LGL couldnt be the national chinese coach - who there plays with short pimples? Noone. Yet he is the main coach.

And why dont I like him?
Maybe he is too arrogant for me.. or was..
But mostly he made me mad when he beat Samsonov at olympics just to lose later.
Dont know.. I just dont like him, dont absolutely like how he plays, its too passive, I like more like exploding style,..
Probably that would be it..
I just dont go crazy hearing about "the great Waldner" ..

 

[Bollforte94]

I understand you Michal,
I am not a great Waldner fan, too but ofc he was a very good player

But I think Rossi is the right one for Timo. Boll's backhand gets a lot better since Rossi is the coach and Rossi demands more from Boll (Boll is a little bit lazy ;D)

 

[WiWa]

I think it is good to do that at his age. Last year especially he demanded very much from his body, playing a double season and tournaments. He paid for that afterwards, and from then on he only played the big ones. He and Maze and Persson and players like that don't need all the Pro Tours to get match rhythm, they have been in World Championships and won the ETTC and Top-12. They know how to handle match situations.

 

[Anders]

I disagree. I dont think its about playing style. Its about creating a way, no matter what style you play. Waldner is way too good thinker.
If you put it this way - LGL couldnt be the national chinese coach - who there plays with short pimples? Noone. Yet he is the main coach.

And why dont I like him?
Maybe he is too arrogant for me.. or was..
But mostly he made me mad when he beat Samsonov at olympics just to lose later.
Dont know.. I just dont like him, dont absolutely like how he plays, its too passive, I like more like exploding style,..
Probably that would be it..
I just dont go crazy hearing about "the great Waldner" ..

I respect your opinion, but I don't share it. Yes he might seem arrogant, but he knew he was the best. No one could beat him on a good day. I like it.
I meant as a match coach, not as the national team coach. And I think Rosskopf is doing the right choice.

Also you should know that tactics aint made during the match, they have a set of different tactics in front of the match. For example for playing ZJK, they have a set of tactics. The only thing they talk about in the match is sticking to the tactics and how to do that, and trying to change them to option 2 or 3. So we can't really blame the coach for this. Boll was with him on this. And yes I know this is the way they do it, both from own experience and from talking to professional coaches

 

[Robbenummer1]

This is the last match of timo boll 2012